Marcoot Jersey Creamery in Illinois: History, What It Raises, How It Makes Money and How to Contact It
Profile updated November 2026
Marcoot Jersey Creamery in Greenville, Illinois, is a seventh-generation family dairy that turned its Jersey herd's milk into farmstead cheese. The creamery opened in 2010, uses robotic milking since 2017 and makes about 20 cheese varieties, plus whey-based products. It is a well-documented example of a dairy that survived price pressure by adding value on the farm.
| Location | Greenville, Bond County, Illinois |
|---|---|
| Founded | Family ancestors arrived in 1840; current farm bought by the family in 1954 |
| Sectors | Jersey dairy; farmstead cheese; ice cream; Wagyu beef; whey products |
| Scale | Up to 20 employees; herd count varies by source (65 cows on Enjoy Illinois) |
| Why it is notable | Seventh-generation dairy with a farmstead creamery; NCR-SARE grant recipient |
| Ownership | Marcoot family; daughters Amy and Beth lead creamery and farm |
| Official website | Marcoot Jersey Creamery official site |
History of Marcoot Jersey Creamery
According to Farms.com, the family's ancestors arrived from Switzerland in 1840 and were raising Jersey cattle by the mid-1800s. Grandparents bought the current farm in 1954, and John Marcoot took over after high school. Economic pressure on small dairies led his daughters to propose artisan cheese in the mid-2000s.
SARE reports that the family began building the processing facility in summer 2009. The creamery opened in 2010. Amy oversees the creamery, Beth manages the farm and Linda, a certified dietitian, serves as quality assurance coordinator. In 2013 Beth received a NCR-SARE Farmer Rancher grant to develop a food safety and defense program, which earned third-party certification from AIB International.
What Marcoot Jersey Creamery Grows and Raises
The farm is a grass-based, rotational grazing dairy with registered Jerseys. Farms.com says the cows are bred for A2A2 milk using genetic testing, and the farm began using robotic milking in 2017. Enjoy Illinois lists a herd of 65 grass-fed Jerseys, while other sources describe herd growth, so confirm numbers with the farm.
The creamery makes about 20 cheese varieties, from fresh curds to aged cheeses, and the family ages cheese in caves modeled on Swiss tradition. In 2017 it began using whey for Extreme Ice, a protein frozen treat, and for dog treats. Visitors watch the robotic barn and calf barn through viewing windows, and school tours explain how crops become feed.
How Marcoot Jersey Creamery Makes Money
Farmstead cheese
Cheese made only from the farm's own milk is the core value-added product. It lets the family sell a product at a higher price point than raw milk.
Farm store and ice cream
The country store sells cheese, ice cream, local products and Wagyu beef the family raises. Direct sales capture the retail margin and bring visitors to the farm.
Whey products and tours
Using whey for frozen treats and dog snacks turns a byproduct into revenue. Tours and school visits add agritourism income and build brand loyalty.
Farm Insight: What Other Operators Can Learn from Marcoot Jersey Creamery
The first lesson is to move up the value chain deliberately. The Marcoots spent years planning before building the creamery, and a food safety grant and certification gave buyers confidence.
The second is to use every stream. Whey became a product, beef joined the store and tours filled the calendar. The third is to match roles to strengths: one daughter runs the creamery, one runs the farm and a parent handles quality assurance.
A family that moved from Swiss steamships to Greenville cheese caves has clearly got the aging process figured out. At farm.FM our farm satire team respects the way a Jersey cow can become curds, ice cream and a treat the dog actually approves of. We keep the farm humor and ranch humor creamy, with farm jokes about robotic milkers that never complain about the 4 a.m. shift.
The outlet behind those laughs, farm.FM, is the nation's first satirical farm site, complete with Tractor Tunes country music for farmers. A farm.FM humorist's archive shows what a week of it looks like.
How to Contact Marcoot Jersey Creamery
Website: https://marcootjerseycreamery.com/
Contact details, store hours and tour information are on the operation's own website; confirm before traveling.
Marcoot Jersey Creamery Sources and Agriculture Authority Links
- Marcoot Jersey Creamery - Official site
- Farms.com feature - Illinois dairy adds value with creamery and tours
- SARE project profile - Food safety and defense plan for the creamery
- Enjoy Illinois listing - State tourism listing
- USDA Census of Agriculture - National and state farm statistics
Marcoot Jersey Creamery FAQ
Where is Marcoot Jersey Creamery?
It is in Greenville, Bond County, Illinois.
What does it make?
Farmstead cheeses, ice cream and whey-based products from the milk of its Jersey herd.
Is it a multi-generation farm?
Yes. Farms.com describes it as a seventh-generation family dairy.
Can visitors tour?
The farm offers tours and a country store; check its official site for current hours.
Marcoot Jersey Creamery shows how a family dairy can add value without leaving the farm. For soils, markets and programs across the state, read our Illinois farms guide and the other profiled operations.